Brazillian Gourmet Friday!

Chef Doug stopped by to help us create some amazing Brazillian dishes. My job was the Kibe. If i don't mind saying... it was unreal!!! Definetly worth making for a special Brazillian evening for your family... Recipes below

Find Chef Doug at http://www.funwithfoodcatering.com/

My trainer stopped by as well... find out about his amazing classes at http://www.byyoursidefitness.com/

Soon you can find the video to the cooking day at http://www.ryanbodiefilms.com/

Kibe - Brazilian Fried Meat Balls

Ingredients:

· 1 cup bulgur wheat

· 1 1/2 cups beef broth or water

· 2 pounds ground beef

· 2 tablespoons olive oil

· 1 large onion, finely chopped

· 2 cloves of garlic, minced

· 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

· 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

· 1/3 cup chopped parsley

· 1/2 cup packed mint leaves

· Salt and pepper to taste

· Vegetable oil for frying

· Tahini sauce for dipping

Preparation:

1. Place bulgur wheat in a heat proof bowl. Bring the beef broth to a boil, remove from heat, and pour over the bulgur wheat. Let wheat rest for 1/2 hour.

2. Make the filling: Place 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet, and sauté half of the chopped onions, the minced garlic, and the cinnamon and nutmeg. When onions are fragrant and soft, add 1/3 of the ground beef. Cook, stirring until the ground beef is well browned. Stir in the parsley and cook 1-2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

3. Drain the bulgur wheat

4. Place the bulgur wheat in the bowl of a food processor with the remaining (uncooked) ground beef, remaining raw onions, and mint leaves. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and sprinkle generously with pepper.

in a colander, pressing down on the wheat with the flat side of a spoon to press out all of the excess liquid.

5. Process ground beef mixture until mixture is very smooth, like a dough. If you have time to chill both the uncooked beef mixture and cooked filling for several hours, it will be easier to shape the kibes.

6. Take golf ball size balls of the uncooked beef mixture and press them flat into the palm of your hand. Place 1 tablespoon of the cook

ed beef mixture in the middle, then close the "dough" around the filling and seal well. Shape balls into an elongated football-like oval, with pointed ends. Place on a baking sheet until ready to fry.

7. Heat several inches of oil in a deep pot to 350 degrees. Gently lower kibes into the oil, working in batches, and cook until dark brown and crispy. Drain kibes on paper towels.

8. Serve warm, with tahini dipping sauce and lime wedges.

here's the sauce recipe:

Tahini Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

· 1/2 cup tahini

· 3 gloves garlic, crushed

· 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

· 2 tablespoons olive oil

· 1/4 cup lemon juice

· 1 teaspoon parsley, finely chopped

Preparation:

In a food processor, combine garlic and tahini. Add kosher salt.

Remove from food processor and add olive oil and lemon juice. If too thick, add a teaspoon of warm water until desired consistency.

Mix in parsely

Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Main course:

Brazilian Fish Stew - Moqueca de Peixe

Ingredients:

· 1 1/2 pounds grouper, snapper, mahi mahi, salmon, or monkfish

· Juice of 2 limes

· 1 teaspoon salt

· 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

· 2 teaspoons minced garlic

· 2 tablespoons olive oil

· 1 red pepper, sliced thinly

· 1 green pepper, sliced thinly

· 1 large onion, sliced thinly

· 2 tomatoes, sliced thinly

· 4-5 green onions, white and green parts, finely chopped

· 1 bunch of cilantro, washed and roughly chopped

· 2 teaspoons paprika

· 1/2 - 1 teaspoon chile pepper (or to taste)

· 2 1/2 cups coconut milk

· 3 tablespoons palm oil

Preparation:

1. Cut the fish into bite size pieces and place in a ziplock bag. Add the lime juice, salt, ground pepper, and minced garlic. Marinate fish for 1 to 4 hours in the refrigerator.

2. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan. Layer 1/2 of the peppers, tomatoes, and onions over the bottom of the pan.

3. Cover the vegetables with the fish and the marinade.

4. Layer the rest of the peppers, onions and tomatoes on top. Sprinkle with the chopped green onions and half of the chopped cilantro.

5. Whisk the paprika and chile pepper into the coconut milk, and pour mixture over the vegetables and fish.

6. Drizzle the vegetables with the palm oil.

7. Bring mixture to a boil, and simmer gently, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove cover and simmer for 25 minutes more, or until vegetables are well-cooked and tender.

8. Sprinkle the rest of the chopped cilantro over the hot stew. Serve with rice, toasted manioc meal and fried plantians.

dessert:

Brazilian Coconut Flan - Quindin

Ingredients:

· 8 tablespoons butter, plus 2 tablespoons melted butter for greasing the pans

· 1 1/3 cup sugar, plus more for dusting the pans

· 1/2 teaspoon salt

· 14 egg yolks plus 1 whole egg

· 1 teaspoon coconut flavoring

· 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

· 1 2/3 cups fresh or frozen finely grated coconut, unsweetened

Preparation:

1. With a pastry brush, paint melted butter inside all of the molds of 2 mini-muffin pans.

2. Sprinkle sugar liberally over all of the molds, then turn the pans over and tap out the excess.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and heat a pot of water on the stove.

4. Cream the butter with the sugar and the salt until fluffy.

5. Make sure the egg yolks and egg are at room temperature (you can warm them very briefly in the microwave if necessary). Add the eggs one at a time, blending well after each. The batter should be smooth. Stir in the coconut flavoring and the vanilla.

6. Fold in the fresh coconut. (If coconut is not finely grated, process it in a food processor or blender first).

7. Place each cupcake pan inside of a large pan with sides, like a roasting pan. Fill each minicupcake mold almost full with batter.

8. Pour the hot water into the larger pan to a depth of about 3/4 of an inch, so that the muffin pan is sitting in a water bath, being careful not to let water splash into the batter. It sometimes helps to put the pans in the oven first, and then pour the water into the bottom pan, so that the water doesn't slosh around as you are moving the pans to the oven.

9. Bake custards for about 15 minutes, or until they are firm to the touch and light golden brown.

10. Let cool for 15 minutes on a rack. To remove custards, run a knife around the edge to loosen them from the pan and then gently flip them or lift them out. If they will not come out easily, chill them first.

11. Serve chilled.

Note: This recipe can be made in one standard muffin tin, to make 12 st

GOURMET FRIDAY- Jamaica mon! No worries!!!

Below are the recipes from our Friday with Chef Doug (www.funwithfoodcatering.com)

Big thanks to Seth Rollins (Cell Phone Superstar 4/ American Idol Season 9)

Thanks for nothing Ryan David Bodie (www.studio26productions.com)

Caribbean Pork and Plantain Hash

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed & cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 2 large yellow plantains, chopped (about 3 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Cooking Instructions:

Combine soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon salt, thyme, and next 4 ingredients (thyme through pork); toss well to coat. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork mixture; sauté 4 minutes or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and butter to pan. Add onion, bell pepper, plantains, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper; cook 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic; sauté 2 minutes or until plantains are tender. Drizzle with hot sauce, and stir well. Sprinkle with cilantro ~ Serves 4

Coconut Rum Cake

yield: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

For cake:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs plus 3 large yolks
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3/4 cup well-stirred sweetened cream of coconut such as Coco López

For coconut slivers:

• 1 medium coconut
• 2 teaspoons confectioners sugar

For icing:

• 3 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
• 3 tablespoons well-stirred sweetened cream of coconut
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar

Preparation

Make cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Lightly butter cake pan and line bottom with a round of parchment paper. Lightly butter parchment, then flour pan.

Whisk together flour (1 1/4 cups), baking powder, and salt.

Whisk together whole eggs and yolks, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in flour mixture until combined, then whisk in butter until just combined. Pour into cake pan and rap pan on counter to expel air bubbles.

Bake until golden brown and cake starts to pull away from side of pan, about 45 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes. (Leave oven on.) Invert cake onto rack (discard parchment) and cool 10 minutes more. Generously brush top and side of warm cake with cream of coconut, allowing it to soak in before brushing on more. Cool completely.

Make coconut slivers as cake cools:
Pierce softest eye of coconut with a small screwdriver, then drain and discard liquid. Bake coconut in a shallow baking pan 15 minutes. (Leave oven on.) Break shell with a hammer, then pry flesh from shell with screwdriver.

Thinly shave enough coconut with slicer to measure 2 cups and toss with confectioners sugar, then spread in 1 layer on a baking sheet. Bake until just dry but not golden (some tips may color), 5 to 10 minutes. (Shave and bake remaining coconut with more confectioners sugar to serve on the side, or freeze for another use.) Cool coconut completely. (It will crisp as it cools.)

Make icing:
Beat together cream cheese, cream of coconut, rum, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons cream with an electric mixer until smooth, then beat in confectioners sugar. Icing should be smooth and slightly runny; stir in remaining tablespoon cream if necessary.

Smooth icing over top of cooled cake, allowing some to drip over side, then top with coconut slivers.

Jasmine Coconut Rice

3 Cans Coconut Milk

1 1/2 Quart Water

4 Cups Jasmine Rice

1 Tbsp Salt

1 tsp White Pepper

1 Tbsp Crushed Red Pepper

8 Ea Kafir Lime Leaves

Method:

Combine all ingredients, and bring to a boil. Then stir well and cover with plastic tightly and a lid. Cook for 20 minutes on a low flame.

chicken curry recipe

from the Gourmet bday meal... here's the famous Curry recipe every one loved

check out Chef Doug here:

http://funwithfoodcatering.com/Default.aspx?cookieCheck=true

Chicken Curry with Cashews

yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups)
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 3 tablespoons curry powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) chicken, cut into 10 serving pieces
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3/4 cup cashews (1/4 pound)
• 3/4 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

• Accompaniment: cooked basmati or jasmine rice
• Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Heat butter in a 5- to 6-quart wide heavy pot over moderately low heat until foam subsides, then cook onions, garlic, and ginger, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add curry powder, salt, cumin, and cayenne and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring to coat, 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, including juice, and cilantro and bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes.

Just before serving:
Pulse cashews in a food processor or electric coffee/spice grinder until very finely ground, then add to curry along with yogurt and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.

Gourmet Friday German October 2010

It's a German themed Gourmet Friday on the JOYFM!

Chef Doug and his apprentice Jayar

Check out Chef Doug at http://www.funwithfoodcatering.com/

Main course

Wiener Schnitzel
Yield 8 servings

Ingredients
2 pounds veal
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups bread crumbs
1/8 cup oil for frying
Directions
1. Cut the veal into steaks, about as thick as your finger. Dredge in flour. In a shallow dish, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper. Coat the veal with egg mixture, then with bread crumbs.
2. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Fry veal until golden brown, about 5 minutes on each side.

THIS IS MY APPETIZER THAT I DID... its also what set off the fire alarm! (stir frequently!)

German Spaetzle Dumplings
Yield 6 servings

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pinch freshly ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 gallon hot water
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Directions
1. Mix together flour, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Beat eggs well, and add alternately with the milk to the dry ingredients. Mix until smooth.
2. Press dough through spaetzle maker, or a large holed sieve or metal grater.
3. Drop a few at a time into simmering liquid. Cook 5 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
4. Saute cooked spaetzle in butter or margarine. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top, and serve.

Desert

German Filled Hoernchen
Yield 4 dozen

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 pinch salt
1/3 cup superfine sugar
1/3 cup ground almonds
2/3 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon white wine
1 tablespoon rum
2 teaspoons lemon zest
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup fruit preserves, any flavor
1 egg yolk, beaten
Directions
1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, salt, sugar and almonds. Cut in the 2/3 cup butter until the mixture is crumbly. Add egg, wine, rum and lemon zest. Mix gently until well blended. Adjust the flour if necessary to make a stiff dough. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough briefly, shape into a ball, wrap and chill for at least one hour or until firm.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. On a floured surface, roll the dough out to less than 1/4 inch in thickness. Brush with melted butter and cut into triangles about three inches across. Place a dab of jam along one side of each triangle and roll up from the jam end to the point. Seal with a dab of water if necessary. Place pastry horn onto an ungreased cookie sheet and brush with beaten egg yolk. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until crisp and golden. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.

GOURMET FRIDAYS GONE ~CAJUN~

JAMBALAYA! Just kidding, we didn't cook up jambalaya but something even more exquisite...Pecan Crusted Alligator, Crawfish Etouffee (eh-2-fay), Browned Butter Garlic/Creme Anglaise Sauce and Chocolate Bread Puddin'...Oh yeah, it's on! And all thanks to our very own "Master Chef," Chef Doug! (don't think his first name is really chef but i forgot to ask..) This guy's an artist with pans, salt, pepper and anything else edible so feel at liberty to scope out other masterpieces Chef Doug's whipped up at http://www.funwithfoodcatering.com/

Alright, let's get these recipes into your index box and then onto your plate...saucy! (oh and pictures coming soon! i promise! kris p. kreme's slackin'...)

Crème Anglaise Sauce

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup half and half
6 ounces sugar
1 each vanilla bean, split and scraped
8 ea. Egg yolks

Combine cream, half and half, vanilla and ½ the sugar. Bring to a boil. Mix egg yolks with the rest of the sugar. Temper hot cream into the eggs. Return to the pot. Cook stirring constantly until coats a spoon. Strain and put into a ice bath.


Browned Butter Garlic Sauce

1 ½ sticks Salted Butter
2 tsps. Garlic, Minced
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. Parsley, chopped fine

Method:
Melt the butter in a 1 quart saucepan over high heat until half melted, shaking the pan constantly. Add the garlic and continue cooking until butter is melted and foam on the surface is barely browned, about 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Stir in the parsley and cook until the sauce is light brown and very foamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Pecan Crusted Alligator

Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
• 2 pounds cleaned Alligator tail
• Salt and pepper
• 3 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp. Blackening Spice
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 4 cups chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
Preparation
Gently pound alligator cutlets to 1/8-inch thickness between 2 sheets of plastic wrap with flat side of meat pounder or with rolling pin. Pat dry and season with salt and pepper.
Beat together eggs in a large shallow bowl. Place pecans in a large shallow bowl. Mix the blacken spice with the flour and place it in a large shallow bowl. Dip alligator, 1 piece at a time, into the flour mix, then dip into the egg mixture, letting excess drip off. Dredge in the chopped pecans, pressing to coat completely. Repeat with remaining pieces of alligator.
Heat butter and 2 tablespoons oil in large heavy skillet over moderately high heat, until foam subsides. Sauté alligator in 2 batches (without crowding) until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined platter and keep warm.
Serve alligator with the browned butter garlic sauce.


CRAWFISH ETOUFFEE
• Yield:
4 servings
Ingredients
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped yellow onions
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1 1/2 cups shrimp stock or water
• 1 pound crawfish tails
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
• Cooked long grain white rice, accompaniment
Directions
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, to make a light roux. Add the onions, celery, bell peppers, green onions, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the sherry and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the stock and crawfish tails and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice.
Stir in the parsley and remove from the heat.
Adjust the seasoning, to taste. Serve over rice, garnished with additional parsley.

And lastly,

Chocolate Bread Pudding (for da ladies..)


1 3/4 cups Heavy Cream
1/2 cups & 2 Tbsps. Sugar
1/4 cup Milk
1 1/4 cups Semi-sweet Choc. Chips
1 ea. Large Egg
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
4 oz. French bread w/ crust
Cut into 1 inch cubes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bring cream, ½ cup sugar, and milk to simmer in a heavy saucepan. Stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, add ¾ ‘s of the chocolate chips. Whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk egg and vanilla in a large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot chocolate mixture. Cool chocolate custard 10 minutes, stirring often.
Add bread cubes and remaining chocolate chips to custard, and toss to coat. Transfer to a 6 quart shallow baking dish. Sprinkle 2 Tbsps. sugar over mixture. Bake until custard thickens and center is just set, about 50 minutes. Serves 6

GOURMET FRIDAYS~LE FRENCH THEME~

Bonjour! This week our taste buds flew somewhere around the eiffel tower...Chef Doug , our international tour guide around the kitchen once again! If ya can't make the trip, these recipes are easier on the budget and full of ooh-la-la delish in your mouth!

Bittersweet Ganache Glaze

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I prefer 55% to 63% bittersweet chocolate)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. light corn syrup

Stovetop instructions:
In a small saucepan, warm the cream over medium heat until the cream begins to simmer around the edges of the pan. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate pieces and the corn syrup. Let stand for 5 to 7 minutes and then stir until smooth.

Chocolate-Glazed Éclairs
Yields about 1 dozen éclairs

1 cup heavy cream, well chilled
1 Tbs. confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 recipe Vanilla Pastry Cream
1 recipe Éclair Pastry Shells
1 recipe Bittersweet Ganache Glaze

Combine the cream, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla in a chilled mixing bowl and whisk by hand or with an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until the cream becomes fluffy and forms a soft peak that folds over when you lift the whisk. Be careful not to overwhip the cream or you risk it curdling when you fold it into the custard.
Whisk the pastry cream until smooth and then gently whisk in about one-third of the whipped cream to lighten the pastry cream. Scrape the rest of the whipped cream over the mixture and, using the whisk in a folding action, gently blend the two until the mixture is uniform and smooth.
Cut an éclair shell in half lengthwise with a serrated knife. Use your fingers to pinch out the doughy insides of both halves. Use two soupspoons—one to scoop and the other to push the cream off the spoon—to mound the filling into the entire length of the bottom half of the shell, about 2 to 3 Tbs. of filling per shell. Gently place the top half of the éclair shell on the custard and put the assembled éclair on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining shells.
When all the éclairs are assembled, warm the glaze a little just until it's warm enough to flow off the side of a spoon in a wide, thick ribbon. (If the ganache is too hot, it will run off the éclairs and puddle below on the tray. Spoon the ganache along the entire length of each éclair top. Put the sheet of glazed éclairs in the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours before serving.

Éclair Pastry Shells

Yields 12 to 13 éclair shells.

2 oz. (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. table salt
4-1/2 oz. (1 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
3 large eggs

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Cut a sheet of parchment to fit in a heavy-duty 13x18-inch rimmed baking sheet. Using a pencil, draw three sets of two lines spaced 3 inches apart, running the length of the parchment. These will be guidelines for piping the éclair dough. Line the baking sheet with the parchment, penciled side down—you should be able to see the lines through the parchment. If not, draw them darker.
In a medium saucepan, bring the butter, salt, and 1 cup water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and add the flour. Using a wooden spoon, stir vigorously to combine. Continue to stir, using a figure-eight motion and smearing the dough against the sides of the pan to cook the flour and work out any lumps, for 2 minutes. The mixture will be thick and look like a firm ball, or balls, of sticky mashed potatoes that pull away from the pan sides. During this process, it’s normal for a thin layer of dough to stick to the bottom of the pan and sizzle.
Remove the pan from the heat and scrape the dough into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. On low speed, mix until the dough feels merely warm to the touch, not hot, 3 to 5 minutes.
With the mixer still on low, beat in the eggs one at a time. After each egg is added, the dough will separate into small lumps and then come back together. After the dough pulls back together, briefly (about 20 seconds) increase the speed to medium low to mix the dough well. Reduce the speed to low before adding the next egg. After the addition of the last egg, scrape the bowl well and beat on medium low for a final 30 seconds.
Scrape the dough into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Twist the top of the bag to push the dough toward the tip. Hold the bag at a 60-degree angle and set the tip of the pastry tube on the paper, right at the top of one of the 3-inch-wide stripes you drew earlier. Squeeze the pastry bag and, using the lines on the parchment as a guide, pipe out 3-inch lengths of dough in a tight zigzag pattern, spacing the éclairs about 1 inch apart.
Bake until the shells are puffed, crisp, and thoroughly golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. If you find that they’re baking unevenly, rotate the pan. Remove from the oven, transfer to a rack, and let cool completely, about 15 minutes, before filling or storing.
Make Ahead Tips
Store the shells in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. Or freeeze them in an airtight plastic freezer bag for up to six weeks. To refresh the shells before assembling. arrange them on a baking sheet and warm them in a 350°F oven until dry, firm, and almost crisp, 10 to 15 minutes for room temperature shells, 15 to 20 for frozen shells. Let cool before using.

Steak au Poivre with Cognac Sauce
Serves four.

1 Tbs. whole black peppercorns
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
Kosher salt
2 lbs. Pork Tenderloin, cleaned
1 Tbs. canola or grapeseed oil
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1/4 cup finely diced shallot (about 1 large)
1/3 cup plus 1 tsp. Cognac or brandy
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbs. chopped fresh tarragon
________________________________________
Crack the peppercorns with a mortar and pestle. It's fine if some are just broken in half and others are smaller; the important thing is to crack them all. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, crack the peppercorns on a cutting board, crushing them with a meat pounder or the bottom of a small heavy skillet or saucepan.
Sprinkle 1 tsp. of the thyme and 1 tsp. salt evenly on both sides of the pork tenderloin and then pat the peppercorns on both sides to create a thin crust. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Heat a heavy-duty 10- or 11-inch ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the oil; when it's shimmering hot, arrange the pork in the pan and cook until the bottom sides are nicely browned and release easily from the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the pork and cook the other sides until browned, 2 to 3 minutes more.
Pour off any fat left in the pan, but not the browned bits. Melt the butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan, until softened, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat to avoid any flare-ups and carefully add 1/3 cup of the Cognac. Return the pan to medium heat and cook until the Cognac reduces to a glazy consistency, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the cream, tarragon, the remaining 1 tsp. thyme, and any accumulated juices from the resting pork. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly reduced, 1 or 2 minutes more. Stir in the remaining 1 tsp. Cognac and season to taste with salt. Spoon the sauce over the pork and serve.

Sautéed Ratatouille
Serves six to eight Yields 5 to 6 cups

1 lb. eggplant (1 medium globe), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks (about 3-1/2 cups)
Kosher salt
9 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz. onion (1 medium), thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 lb. red bell peppers (2 medium), peeled (as much as possible with a vegetable peeler; serrated works best), cored and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 lb. zucchini (3 or 4 small), halved lengthwise and cut into 1/8-inch-thick half-moons (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup chopped garlic (6 to 8 large cloves)
1 lb. tomatoes (2 medium), peeled (with a serrated vegetable peeler; otherwise, skip the peeling), cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 3 cups)
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
Few drops hot sauce
2 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh basil (a chiffonade)
2 Tbs. roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh mint (a chiffonade) (optional)
________________________________________
Toss the eggplant with 1 tsp. kosher salt in a colander and let sit in the sink or over a bowl while you prepare the other vegetables.
Sauté the vegetables one at a time.
Tip: If the juices in the pan look black and burned at any time, rinse the pan with water and wipe it out. If not, leave the cooked-on juices in the pan; they'll add flavor to the final dish.
In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat 1 Tbs. of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, the thyme, and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and deep golden brown, 15 to 20 min. Scrape into a clean colander or large strainer that's set over a bowl to catch the juices.
In the same skillet, heat another 3 Tbs. oil over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften and get browned around the edges, about 5 min. Add the rosemary, lower the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they're extremely soft and sweet, another 10 to 15 min. Gently fold into the onions in the colander.
Heat another 1 Tbs. oil over high heat, and as soon as you see the first hint of smoke, add the zucchini and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt. Shake and stir to distribute the zucchini slices evenly in the pan so they all get browned. Cook over high heat until tender and nicely browned on both sides, 5 to 7 min. Add to the colander and gently fold with the onions and peppers.
Finish with the eggplant and tomatoes.
Dump the eggplant onto some paper towels, and pat to blot up surface water. Heat 3 Tbs. olive oil in the skillet over high heat, add the eggplant (no additional salt), and shake and stir to distribute the cubes evenly in the pan so they all get browned. Cook over high heat until lightly browned on several surfaces, about 5 min, and then lower the heat to medium. Cook until the eggplant is very tender--not at all al dente--another 13 to 15 min. Fold into the other vegetables.
Add the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil to the pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and let sizzle for about 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes and all their juices and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt. Cook until the tomatoes collapse slightly and the juices thicken and darken a bit, 3 to 5 min. As you're cooking, scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze all the cooked-on vegetable juices. Add to the colander, scraping out all the juice from the skillet, and fold everything together.
Let the vegetables rest, then reduce the juices
Now let the vegetables sit in the colander for 15 to 20 min. At that point, you should have around 1/2 cup liquid in the bowl. Pour it into a small saucepan, heat until gently boiling, and boil until the liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup. The flavor should be very bright and intense. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and a few drops of the hot sauce to taste. Fold this glaze into the vegetables, along with the basil, parsley, and mint (if using). Taste for salt and add more if needed.

Sorrel Vichyssoise
yield: Makes about 8 cups, serving 6 to 8

Ingredients
• 1 cup finely chopped white and pale green part of leek, washed well
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 pound boiling potatoes
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 pound fresh sorrel (available seasonally at specialty produce markets and some supermarkets), stems discarded and the leaves rinsed, spun dry, and shredded coarse (about 8 cups)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives, or to taste, plus, if desired, additional for garnish
Preparation
In a large saucepan cook the leek and the onion with salt and pepper to taste in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, add the potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces, the broth, and the water, and simmer the mixture, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender. Stir in the sorrel and simmer the mixture for 1 minute. Purée the mixture in a blender in batches, transferring it as it is puréed to a bowl, and let it cool. Stir in the cream, the chives, and salt and pepper to taste, chill the soup, covered, for at least 4 hours or overnight, and serve it sprinkled with the additional chives.